The present invention relates to an ornamental article used for decorative purposes and occasions, such as for use as Christmas or other holiday lighting decorations in the home, office, restaurants, etc., or for use as a lighting decoration in dance halls or similar places.
In addition, the present invention relates to an improved method for assembling a novel ornamental article of relatively large size for use as Christmas or other holiday decorations in the home, office, restaurants, etc., or for use as a lighting decoration in dance halls or similar places.
Prior-known ornamental articles of relatively large size are known, such as round balls having a diameter of about 10 inches or more and having smooth or multi-bulbous or multifaceted surfaces. Such articles generally are hollow or of solid foam or other material and are formed of one piece construction or of two halves which are united to form the article. In some cases, such as multifaceted reflective ornaments, the ornamental outer surface is formed by adhering a plurality of polygonal mirror pieces to said surface.
Such prior-known ornamental articles generally are expensive, difficult to manufacture, cumbersome to store away, have a fixed, non-variable appearance and do not have parts which can be replaced easily if damaged.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,493,862 issued Jan. 15, 1985 to James Albert and Helen Allbert discloses an ornamental article having a supporting core which is a solid sphere, and a plurality of similar radially-extending decorative elements each having an attachment end securable to said core and a decorative end supported a fixed distance from said core. The decorative elements are hollow cones, the apex of which is attached to the solid core, and the axis of the cones extend radially from the solid core. A decorative colored ball is inserted into the open end of each cone distal from the core. The colored balls are conventional, round, Christmas tree ornaments having a diameter at least slightly larger than the open end of the cones.
As attractive as these prior art ornaments are they depend on reflecting light from external light sources to achieve much of their attractiveness, but this attractiveness is limited.
Thus, there is a need in the art for an improved ornamental article that is more attractive than prior art ornaments, and which does not rely on external devices to achieve its attractiveness.
The needs of the prior art are satisfied by the present invention. The present invention is an ornament that has a plurality of clear, cup shaped elements, their open ends facing outward. Behind, and extending through the base of each of the cups are lights that, when lit, the light is refracted through the cup shaped elements to create a dazzling effect. The lights may be white or colored.
The attractiveness of the present ornament is enhanced in that the lighting may be lit steadily, may be randomly pulsed, or may be pulsed in predetermined patterns.